Shots Fired
by firebunee
Summary: A bad day at the DX gets worse for Soda and Steve when they are held up. Things get far worse when Darryl walks in on it. The events than spark a battle for territory with the Socs and Greasers when one brother is seriously injured. READ AND REVIEW! GUESS WHO IS WORKING ON THIS STORY AGAIN! Here's hoping someone out there is still waiting to see what happens!
1. Chapter 1

**So this isn't exactly my first venture into The Outsiders. The other story was just a take over. This one is all my idea. Well, with the exception of the characters, their not mine. Well, the made up ones are mine, but the ones that matter, their not mine... BUMMER!!! Ms. Hinton, if you would like to share, I would love to have an Outsider Birthday next month... seriously... that would just rock!**

**I don't own anything... at this rate, I never will. **

**The Outsiders belong to Ms. S. E. Hinton, I am merely borrowing them for my own personal pleasure.**

**With that said, please enjoy. Also... please read and review. I dearly love hearing what is said about my work. Good, solid criticism helps bunches. Just remember that I am a human being and get my feelings hurt too, so please do not flame me to hard if you don't like it. Just tell me in a few short words if that is the case. Otherwise... please, enjoy the fruits of my labor:-)**

**Chapter 1**

It had been a long hard day of work for Soda and Steve. They had worked on a Mustang with hole in the radiator, a completely torn up front quarter panel on a ragged out Impala and then there was the black Camaro SS with the flat. That one had been easy to work on, especially since the blond driving the car handed Soda her phone number. The day didn't get any better as it went on.

"Hello." A voice came from out of the blue.

"Just a sec." Soda acknowledged from under the hood of the Pontiac. "This stupid fan belt…" Soda grumbled before he stood up laying his wrench to the side of the car.

Soda licked his lips as he reached over and grabbed the orange shop cloth and wiped his grimy hands on it. He then wiped the perspiration from his eyes before turning to face the person talking to him. It was about a half an hour before the end of their shift.

"What can I do…" Soda was interrupted by a gun being shoved forcefully in his face.

"Not one word."

Soda nearly jumped out of his skin. His mouth hung agape as the barrel of the weapon was pushed directly onto his forehead.

"You don't want to do this. Take what you want, just don't…" The boy nearly lost his lunch when the hand holding the weapon brought the cold hard steel of the gun down across his forehead. It didn't knock him out. In fact all it did was cut a nice slice across his brow above his right eye.

"Get up and get in there." The masked man pulled the downed Curtis brother to his feet and shoved him into Steve who was being pushed towards the door of the gas station as well.

Steve had to almost carry Sodapop into the building in order to oblige the man. Soda held his hand over his head and stumbled as a direct result of the impact. They were followed in by both men. They were using black wool ski masks to conceal their identities. One shoved Steve and Soda into the corner of the room while the other began to ransack the office.

Steve and Soda watched as the one shoved his hands into the cash register and pulled out stacks of bills. He quickly pushed them into a bag and then greedily went back for more.

"You okay, Soda?" Steve asked still holding the other boy on his feet.

"Shut up." The one holding the gun on them interjected coldly.

Soda wrinkled his brow as he held his head. He felt tired. It would have been so easy to lie down on the floor and close his eyes. Sleep was a good thing right then.

"Where's the safe." The one tearing the office apart shouted.

"What safe." Steve shot back.

Soda was struggling to comprehend what was going on. Blood was pouring from the cut and all he had were dirty rags to try and stop the bleeding.

"Its right there, but you need a key." The one holding the gun on Steve and Soda pointed his finger at the wall.

"Behind this painting? That's just grand." The burglar ripped the canvas art work from the wall and tossed it onto the floor in front of the two boys.

"So which one of you worthless grease monkeys has the key?" The other shouted nervously.

"We don't have the key." Soda half whispered.

"Take what you want, you already have the money in the register, then just get the hell outa here." Steve growled.

There was a door slam outside of the building bringing the eyes of all four up.

"Who the hell is that?" The one holding the gun on the two asked.

Soda took a deep breath. He remembered that Darry was going to pick him up there at five.

"Steve…" Soda whispered a look of terror in his eyes.

"Look, just take what ever and get out. We won't try and stop you. Just don't hurt anyone." Steve's voice quivered as he heard the footsteps nearing the door.

"Hurry up!" The one holding the gun to Steve and Soda rushed the other along. "Just take what's in the drawer and we'll be out the back door."

The bell on the door rang as it was pushed open.

"Soda…"

BANG!

--

Ponyboy trudged back to the lot with Johnny right beside him. It was a cool fall day and the leaves were just starting to turn a brilliant shade of red. The sun was beating down on them, but the breeze kept the heat from becoming too much for them. Neither of the two was talking about much of anything as they made it to what was left of the back seat of an old sedan.

"Gotta smoke, Pony?" Johnny asked quietly.

"Nah, I smoked the last one at lunch. If I hadn't gotten that "D" on my history test I probably could have saved it till now." Ponyboy complained.

"You got a "D" on a test? Darry's gonna kill you."

"Don't rub it in, Johnny Cade." Ponyboy ran his hands nervously through his hair. "Now that I think about it, I _could_ use a smoke right now."

"You think if we went to the DX, Soda might spot us the money for a pack?" Johnny asked fidgeting just a little.

"I dunno, maybe." Pony answered with a shrug of his shoulders.

Neither of the two made a move to stand up. They both seemed as if this was the day they just wouldn't care. The two leaned back on the broken down seat and watched the clouds as they passed. They both watched and waited quietly as the world around them spun around and around. They didn't say much to each other. They neither one talked as they watched. There were days when both of them found it easier to just sit back and keep their mouths shut as opposed to talking when they had nothing to talk about.

"You know, Soda gets off work in about fifteen minutes…" Ponyboy stated sitting up and looking over hat his friend.

"Yeah, and…" Johnny replied looking back at Ponyboy.

"Darry's picking Soda up today. Maybe Darry would just buy me a pack and not ask anything the stupid test."

"That's wishful thinking, isn't it, Pone?" Johnny asked raising his eyebrow.

"I guess." Ponyboy responded picking up a stick and tossing it into the distance just to see where it landed.

At that moment the sound of sirens tore through the air. Both teens sat up and looked to see the emergency vehicles as they passed by.

"Wonder what happened?" Johnny asked quietly.

"Dunno, can't be good with all that going by." Ponyboy responded never breaking eye contact with the flashing red lights.

"Come on; let's go see if Darry and Soda are home yet." Ponyboy smacked Johnny on the knee as he stood up shoving his fists into his jacket pocket.

--

The house was dark when Ponyboy and Johnny walked up to it. It was quiet, there was no television blaring in the living room. The house didn't have the smell of anything cooking on the stove in it. That was really out of the ordinary since it was three males living in a house together. They all ate, and ate a lot.

"Shouldn't they have been home by now?" Johnny asked in his quiet voice.

Ponyboy shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly as he walked in the door.

"Anyone home?" He shouted as he tossed his coat down on the couch.

"You think they had to work late or something?" Johnny asked sitting down on the couch and looking at the blank television screen.

"Maybe." Ponyboy answered getting up and walking over to the television and flipping the knob to bring the magical box to life. "I bet they'll be home soon."

"Hope so, I'm kinda hungry and Darry asked if I wanted potatoes tonight." Johnny said rubbing his stomach.

"So you're staying for dinner?" Ponyboy asked realizing how much his stomach was growling.

"Yeah, probably just sleep on the couch if you don't mind. Dad and mom have been fighting a lot here lately." Johnny added.

"Sounds good to me, Darry won't yell at me if you're here." Ponyboy sighed looking at the television.

Both boys sat staring at the tube watching it as The Lone Ranger and his trusty side kick Tonto saved the Wild West from evil. It didn't take long before Ponyboy's eyes were falling closed. Johnny pulled his knees to his chest and he too wound up lost in a dream land until there was a knock at the door.

"What the…" Ponyboy jumped off of the couch.

The sky was orange as the sun was beginning to drop below the horizon.

"Ponyboy." Dallas Winston was pulling the door open and walking into the house.

"Geeze, Dally, what time is it?" Ponyboy asked as he looked at the much older Greaser through the door.

Dallas Winston took one last drag on his cigarette and discarded it onto the porch. He stood nervously in the living room looking at the two teens. His leather jacket was hung proudly on his well built frame.

"Where's your brothers?" Dallas asked curtly.

Ponyboy was still trying to rub the sleep out of his eyes when Johnny chimed in.

"Hey, Dally." He stated groggily.

"Hey Johnny. Pony, where's Darry and Soda?" Dallas asked again. This time he sounded off more urgently.

Ponyboy looked sleepily around the room. It was later than when he started watching the television earlier. No longer was it The Lone Ranger, now it was some sort of marionettes in space ships on the television.

"Work, I guess. What time is it?" Ponyboy asked as he began to get his bearings.

"It's almost seven, Pony." Dallas continued looking down at his watch and then back at Pony and Johnny.

Ponyboy nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Dallas, they were supposed to be home hours ago. What's going on?" Ponyboy demanded.

"Shit…" Dallas shook his head.

"Dallas, where's Darry and Soda?" Ponyboy almost shouted.

"Something's going on down at the DX, Steve aint home neither." Dallas said running his hand across his mouth. "Come on." He grabbed Ponyboy's arm and pulled him out the door with Johnny following close behind him.

Two Bit Mathews was rushing up the sidewalk as the boys were running towards Buck's red convertible.

"Someone's been shot at the DX!" Two Bit shouted as he caught up with the three.

"Shot…" Johnny responded.

The words resonated in Ponyboy like nothing else could. _Someone's been shot at the DX_. Ponyboy almost crawled out of his skin. He could feel his body moving in ten different directions as he caught the grim expression of Dallas's face. His mouth hung agape as he tried to piece all the words together.

"Darry… Soda…" Ponyboy choked on his words.

"Come on, Kid." Dallas yanked Ponyboy the rest of the way along. He shoved him in the car with Two Bit and Johnny both jumping in the back seat.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!! I really appricitated the response to this story! Please tell me what you think. I really appricitated the fixing of my spelling of Darrel... haven't fixed it in the story yet, but I will. Please read and review... they help bunches, and mean even more:-)**

**Chapter 2**

Darry rubbed the back of his neck as he looked down at the pile of tools on the ground next to the Pontiac. He was a little curious about there being no sign of Sodapop or Steve standing around outside of the building when he showed up. He had expected to have Soda rearing to get out of there early since it was a Friday night and he had plans. He was sure there was a girl that the plans had revolved around, but his middle brother hardly told him everything he was planning on doing for the weekend.

"Soda… Steve…" Darry called out looking from side to side.

There was no one there.

"Hum…" he muttered to himself furrowing his brow.

Darry walked towards the door still looking over his shoulder. He watched a cat as it darted across the parking lot towards a run down neighboring garage and disappear into the weeds. He sighed as he ran his hands over the doorknob and turned the handle. He pushed the door opened hearing the sound of the bell on the other side. He turned his head catching the attention of two men pointing guns. One was behind the cash register; the other turned as he heard the bell jingle above the door and was then pointing the gun at him. Only now there was something white hot tearing through the soft flesh of his stomach. Then he heard a resounding BANG!

"Darry!"

--

Darrel spun around landing with a thud on the floor inside the door. His hand was drawn instinctively to his stomach where the blinding pain was centered. His ears were ringing and his head was pounding. There was a feeling of nauseas and cold creeping across his body at the same time. The world around him was a blur. All he could hear was the sound of his own heartbeat inside of his ears.

"FUCK! Ah, FUCK!"

The one who had been behind the counter was walking around the room with his hands at the side of his head, his weapon pointing at the ceiling. The other was standing over top of Darry starring down at him. His hands were shaking as he looked down at the bleeding man.

"What the hell were you thinking, Chad? Oh my, Lord! How the hell are we gonna get out of this now!" The one standing behind the counter walked around towards the other.

"What the hell Andy, what the hell was I supposed to do?" The other shouted.

Soda and Steve were both prancing in the corner when the two started arguing. At that instance Soda shot forward still holding his bleeding head in his right hand.

"Darry…"

"Another step and I'll blow you away." Andy pointed his gun at Soda.

Steve grabbed Soda by the waist and struggled to hold him back in what had become their corner for his protection.

"Darry _ let me go_ Darry…" Soda struggled against Steve's vice like grip on him.

Soda's head continued to gush crimson blood as he clawed at Steve's arms making them both look as if they had been the victims of a mad butcher. Still the middle brother Curtis brother fought to get to his badly injured older brother.

Andy shot two more shots into the ceiling bringing Soda to a complete halt. "Shut up!" He heaved. "One more move and I'll finish the job I started on him and you."

Soda stood next to Steve in the corner of the office. He was no more than a good six feet from his older brother. It was about to kill him watching Darrel bleed and writhe in pain on the cold floor in front of him. He tugged and wadded at Steve's shirt sleeve in his hand as he continued to watch Darrel like a crazed voyeur.

"What the hell is that?" Chad asked as Andy continued to pace back and forth.

"What?" Andy asked abruptly.

"That… do you hear that?"

"Shit, that's just swell, someone called the freaking cops." Andy cursed again grabbing his ski mask with his hands.

"We gotta get the hell outa here." Chad concluded starting to turn.

"And go where, you moron? They're just around the corner." Andy pointed down the street. "I can see the lights now!"

"Damn." Chad mumbled.

"Pull the blinds and find me some rope. We have a situation to control." Andy ordered.

As Chad did what the mastermind of the operation ordered Andy turned his attention to the two men in the corner.

"Let me help him, please." Soda begged running his blood stained hand across the front of his blue work shirt.

Andy looked at the man lying on the floor. He looked really familiar to him, like he knew him from school or something. That just couldn't be the case here. He looked back at the kid with the cut on his head. His right eye was starting to swell up and his head continued to bleed.

"No." Andy answered coldly leaning over top of Darrel.

"So-Soda…" Darry moaned softly as he shifted his head from side to side. He clutched his stomach with his hand as blood continued to leak from the wound.

"Here, this is the best I could do." Chad walked into the room with a long length of rope and handed it to Andy.

"Good, tie'em up and held me drag this one out of the way." Andy tossed the cord back at Chad who did what he was told.

"You behave and I won't hurt him anymore." Andy threatened bending down and pushing the barrel of the now cocked weapon up under Darrel's chin.

Soda shook with disdain as he watched Andy continue to threaten his brother. He looked over at Steve who gritted his teeth as Chad tied the rope around his wrists behind him. He did the same thing to Sodapop and then shoved them both aggressively against the mock wood paneling of the office wall. Soda lost his balance and hit the floor. Steve slid down the wall sitting on the floor and watching the two men walk like and animal stalking its prey around Darrel.

"N-No…" Darrel put up very little fight as Andy grabbed his wrists and held them in place for Chad to lace up.

"Let him alone." Steve piped up.

Andy pulled his weapon from his pocket walked over to them and pointed it directly at Sodapop's head. The boy gasped loudly as Andy cocked the trigger.

"One more word and I'll blow that one into next week."

Steve looked at Sodapop and then back down at the floor, his dark eyes burning a hole in the chilled concrete. He looked up as Andy pocketed the weapon and the two men pulled Darrel over to where they were and dropped him on his side at their feet. Darrel looked so week. His normally handsome, tanned features were sallow and sticky with perspiration. He watched the man grimace as he fought the ropes around his wrists. He could feel Soda, who was sitting next to him, tugging violently at the bonds holding him.

"Darry…" Soda whispered still fighting at the ropes behind him. "Come one Darry, open your eyes. Please… open'em for me, big brother. Come on…"

Steve looked up and watched the two men as they paced and argued. He watched them wondering who they were and where they came from.

"Soda…" Darry responded with a hoarse whisper.

"Yeah, its me, buddy. You okay?" Soda sounded like a parent talking to a small child.

"Y-You _ okay." Darry stammered.

"Yeah." Soda whispered trying to force a smile.

"Where's _ Pony… is Pony _ okay _ Soda…" Darrel was shaking holding his hand over his stomach.

Soda gritted his teeth as he watched his older brother unravel completely.

"Pony's not here, Darry." Soda whispered.

"C-Cold _ Soda..." Darry's expression was taught with pain as he struggled to stay awake.

"I know, I am too. Just hang on okay." Soda attempted to calm his brother.

Darry struggled to lift his head off of the floor. Vertigo kicked in each and every time he even attempted to move. His stomach was on fire and he wasn't quite sure where he was. He knew that Soda was with him and he thought he remembered Steve Randall, but he couldn't remember much of anything else through the pain filled haze. He was terribly afraid that Ponyboy was going to come through the door at any second. The one thing that wasn't far enough from his memory was the blinding pain.

--

Ponyboy, Dallas, Johnny, and Two-Bit pulled up to the gas station. Dallas had left skid marks at nearly every stop sign and stop light in the city he had bothered to stop at. The sky was dark when they pulled up to the DX station. The glimmer of red lights cut through the evening. The crowd of people pointed and talked as they watched and waited for any word from the inside. Ponyboy felt his stomach drop when he saw Darrel's truck sitting, abandoned, near the garage entrance. He ran from the car to shove his way through a small crowd of people to the barricade which he attempted to cross only to run smack into a cop.

"Hold up, kid. It's too dangerous here, stay back there." The officer with a round belly pointed at the barricade pushing him back.

"No, you don't understand!" Ponyboy shoved back struggling to push through the overweight man.

"Kid, I said, get back there and stay!" The man got more aggressive with Ponyboy.

The kid was almost in frustrated tears this time.

"My brothers are in there!" Ponyboy screamed.

The older man turned and looked down at Ponyboy. He wrinkled his weather beaten face as he adjusted his gun belt. He nodded his head as he looked Ponyboy over really hard. He then turned his attention to the three other boys all standing on the wrong side of the barricade behind Ponyboy.

"Do you know how many weapons they have with them?" The older man asked.

Ponyboy's mouth fell agape as he looked at the man. _Was he kidding?_

"My bother, Sodapop, works here. My older brother, Darrel, came to pick him up from work. Our friend, Steve, is probably in there too." Ponyboy retorted.

"You don't know the gunmen then?" The officer asked.

Ponyboy shook his head in nervous frustration. "No."

The older man looked down at the kid who couldn't keep his eyes off of the pulled blinds of the glass windows in the office. The kid was pale and fidgeting. He was a greasy looking kid; it probably was his brothers in there. There were just too many greasers in this area.

"Come on, kid. You boys back behind the barricade." The grey haired man instructed.

Ponyboy looked over his shoulder as Johnny grabbed Dallas's jacket and tugged at him pulling him back behind the road blocks. Two-Bit shuffled along behind Dallas; all three never took their eyes off of Ponyboy or the building holding their three friends.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hope that I continue to hear from you. You all have made this writing experiance go quite well. Please keep in touch and offer those helpful critiques, they are so good for me. Keep in touch!!! **

**Chapter 3**

"Soda, your brother doesn't look real good." Steve whispered to Sodapop after watching Chad and Alan arguing behind the cash register.

Darrel lay on his left side clutching his gut in his hands. His face was pale, almost ashen. A sheen of sweat glistened across his normally tanned features. The front of his tightly fitted work shirt was soaked with the same perspiration dripping from his body. His body would shake from time to time with cold chills which were probably brought on by the onset of infection, and the white hot assault from a 9mm slug in his gut. He had his lgs pulled up almost to his chest as if protecting himself from any additional potential assaults. The sudden movement from the cold chills would bring a groan or a withering moan from the normally tough, polished man.

"We gotta do something and get outa here. Darry's libel to bleed to death before help gets here at the rate this is going." Soda sounded urgent as he too watched the bumbling burglars argue over whose fault it was that Darrel was shot.

"Soda, I got my blade in my back pocket. I might be able to get it." Steve replied directly.

"And what? Cut your own wrists? I have an idea." Soda protested in a whisper. The wiry boy pushed himself up against the wall and lifted himself up about an inch or two. He then slid his bound hands under his bottom and began to wiggle slightly until his arms were up underneath his knees.

"Darry…" Sodapop whispered.

Darrel moaned softly as he turned his head towards the floor. He balled his fists and shook. He gritted his teeth as he laid his dripping forehead directly on the cold, filthy surface of rough concrete floor.

"Darry, look at me, I need your help, please." Soda softly begged.

Darrel rolled his head back towards his brother. His normally neatly trimmed bangs clung to his shiny forehead as he opened his eyes. Darry struggled to comprehend all that was going on, but he was close enough to Sodapop that he could here what he was saying at a whisper.

"Darry, you gotta untie me." Soda whispered and lifted his hands up from under his legs to show his older brother what was going on.

Darry wrinkled his brow as if trying to absorb all that was going on. He then nodded his head slightly. He slowly reached his blood stained hands out towards his brothers. He was just inches too far away. He made the decision he was going to slide just a bit further. He let his hands fall and he grasped at the cold cement. Soda watched anxiously as he slid just an inch over. It was almost all over before he even finished as Darry moved just wrong and let out a gut wrenching cry.

The men holding up the gas station paid little mind. Andy merely shouted a string of profanities accompanied by a "shut up."

Sodapop's bruised forehead and now swelling eye were not helping his own situation. He had long forgotten about the damage to his own face as he watched his brother suffer. The only reminder was the splitting headache that didn't show any signs of letting up. That pain was almost like a besting compared to what Darry was going through. Soda found he was getting angrier and angrier at the blasé remarks about the man bleeding to death in front of them. He wished he knew what the two men looked like; he would like to make sure they never did this to anyone again.

Soda then turned his attention to the men nervously. His warm, frightened eyes darted from one man to the next as he waited for one of the two to turn around and catch them, foiling their plans. He looked down at his older brother and whispered something softly to him before he looked over at Steve who appeared to be working at his own ropes with the knife he had in his back pocket. Soda had hidden his hands underneath his rear end so that he would not have to try and slide them around again. Once they were sure the men weren't paying them much attention again. Soda slid forward a few inches and then arched forward and slid his hands back out towards Darry.

Darry's hands shook as he reached forward. He fumbled clumsily with the tight knots. He pinched and prodded the rough cords with his crimson stained finger. He moved painstakingly slow. Soda could feel his stomach tight with anticipation and the perspiration slipped down his back. He continued to look at the men still arguing behind the counter. This time they were fuming over the safe and its contents.

"Come on, come on, come on…" he whispered to nobody in particular.

There was a slight bump on Soda's arm and he turned to see Steve pulling his wrists slowly around in front of him. He also noted the blood slipping down his arm where he had shoved the razor-sharp tip of his knife into his limb. It was just one more second and the knots holding Sodapop were undone and he too was free. Both boys had to tuck their arms back behind them as Darry offered a rather loud involuntary groan as he clutched his gut again.

"Soda…" Darry whimpered pitifully.

Soda bit his lip as he watched his brother turn his face back towards the floor. _He must be in excruciating pain. _The boy thought to himself.

Andy walked around the counter followed closely by Chad.

"Shut up!" He booted Darry in the small of his back.

That was about all Sodapop could watch any longer.

--

"So you can't tell me anything about the men inside holding the place up?" The Officer asked Ponyboy again.

The youth was getting agitated by the insinuations that he knew anything about the hold up. He wanted to just run past the scattered, unfeeling Officers to the building and get inside. There was defiantly more that they could do than just watch and wait. At least with Johnny, Two-Bit and Dally there, they had a chance to take the men out. Sure, they had heaters, but there were only so many shots a person could fire before they just run out of lead.

"No. I don't know anything more than what I've told you. My brothers Sodapop, and yes, that _is_ his real name, and Darrel Curtis are in there. Darry was supposed to pick Soda up from work. Soda and Steve Randall both work here." Pony wasn't always so curt with the officers, but he was just tired of all the insinuations.

Ponyboy watched the big bellied Officer as he looked over at another Officer and shook his head. He wondered to himself what that was for, but he knew better than to get smart with the cops. Darry had always told him to be smart when dealing with them or that he'd wind up like Dallas Winston, having the rap sheet a mile long.

"Chief, something's happening!" One of the Officers called back.

The Officer who had been informally questioning Ponyboy opened the car door and got out of the vehicle. Ponyboy jumped out of the back seat right behind the men. He started to go after the men when he felt a tug on his arm. He turned to see another cop holding him from moving forward.

"Stay here, kid." He ordered pushing Ponyboy back into the back seat of the cruiser.

Ponyboy wasn't about to stay in the car. He jumped right back out and was soon kissing the pavement with another cop on top of him as the relative silence was shattered by multiple shots as they rang out from inside the building. He could feel his heart sink and a knot form in his gut.

"SODA, DARRY!!!" Pony screamed as he tried to get them big man off of him and get back onto his feet.

The teen felt almost claustrophobic as the person continued to shield him. All around him he heard screams from onlookers. He knew that somewhere in that crowd Johnny and Two-Bit were holding Dallas down the same way. He continued to fight the cop holding him down. He began to kick and shout at the man holding him; he had to make him see that he needed to help them. He had to get up; he had to get in there to save his brothers.

**Review!!!!**


	4. Chapter 4

**EEK!! Thanks for the amazing response to this story! I am just so thrilled! Please keep reading and reviewing. I really appriciate it:-) I feel all warm and fuzzy inside.**

**Chapter 4**

Soda looked over at Steve. Steve nodded his head. The two had been friends for so long that the unspoken communication between them was palpable. They were going to take control of the out of control situation at that precise moment. Apprehension flashed in his eyes as Soda looked down at Darrel. The man had his bloodshot eyes opened. The tears that lined his visage indicated that he was in more pain than Soda could have ever imagined. Darry gradually drug his still bound hands down on to cover the injury to his stomach which continued to leak precious blood. Darry gritted his teeth through the torment as the sweat continued to glisten on his forehead, slide down his cheeks and neck and pool in the hollow of his throat.

"Just hang on Darry." Soda whispered looking up to watch the two masked men for a few more seconds. It was time, the two friends exploded into action.

Sodapop and Steve cleared Darry in a single leap. Both men were up and over the counter in an instant. They had each taken responsibility to take out one man. Since Soda was injured he would take out Andy, and Steve, he would take out the muscle, Chad.

"What the…" Chad shouted as Steve landed on him wrapping his hands around the weapon. Steve had little trouble pulling it from the man's unsuspecting hands and shoving it as hard as he could in the direction of the now closed shop door.

Chad wasted no time with his counter attack the slightly smaller, but defiantly well built Steve. He pushed the boy off of him once and into a wall. As soon as Steve hit the wall he saw something metal on the counter in front of him. It really didn't matter what it was, it was gonna get him the upper hand. He grasped it in his hand and clocked the man in the head and dropping him almost instantly to the floor. Steve responded by shouting profanities at the man falling down on him and delivering blow after damaging blow to the man's still hidden face. Chad on the other hand was struggling to try and cover himself against the punishing attack. He soon found himself unmasked as Steve pulled the ski mask off of his face and dropped his fist square into the unmasked man's mouth. That final blow spelled lights out for Chad.

Steve jumped when he heard the sound of gunfire as Sodapop, who was already injured, struggled to take the weapon from Andy. It had been obvious that Andy was the mastermind behind the operation. He didn't have much to his build, like his friend Chad did. He was wiry like Soda and much stronger than he looked. Sodapop was now bleeding from his lip as it was apparent he had taken more than one direct hit from the other man while trying to disarm him. The bullets slammed harmlessly into the wall. Steve decided it was time to help his best friend.

"You son of a…" Steve's language got no better by the time he jumped into the scuffle between Sodapop and Andy.

A few more punches from the two boys and an elbow from Soda to the man's groin left Andy disabled and soon unmasked. Steve pulled the wool ski mask off of the man and revealed a kid. Soda panted, breathlessly, as he sat on his opponent's chest and looked at his face as lay on his back grimacing from the disabling hit. He did not look much older to Soda than his brother, Darrel. He was a well groomed, nice looking young man. He was in obvious pain as Soda continued to hold him down by sitting on top of him.

"They're just kids." Soda said softly looking up at Steve who had tossed the ski mask to the side in favor of a weapon and was training it on Andy.

Steve looked back at the still unconscious Chad and realized he too was only about nineteen or twenty. They were too young to have been throwing their lives away on the little bit of money the DX Station safe contained. They should have been playing football in college, or baseball with their friends.

--

Soda touched his hand to his head as it began to swim. He very felt sick as he looked at the kids they had just taken down. He licked his lips as he sat for just a few more seconds before he jumped up and ran over to Darrel.

"Ohhh…" Darry cried out as Soda lifted his head off of the floor wiping his slick forehead off with his right hand.

Darry squeezed his eyes closed as his brother scooped him up, cradling him in his arms. It hurt to move. He could feel his pulse beating in his ears. The pain was so intense that he wanted to scream. He couldn't even open his eyes to see his brothers face. He wanted so badly to see Soda and even worse to see Pony. He could only feel for something to hold onto. Something that he could grip as the hurt got worse and worse.

"Shhh… you're okay big brother." His stomach sank as he felt Darry's clammy, blood slick hand claw at his right elbow.

Soda pulled a shop rag out of his pocket and covered the bleeding spot on his stomach. With his free hand he pushed down, putting pressure on his brother's stomach in an attempt to stop him from bleeding. The slightest touch brought a cry of utter torture from Darrel's lips. Soda watched with horror as he realized there was nothing he could do to help his brother.

"Oh GOD, Darry, please hang on." Soda begged as Steve pulled his knife out and sliced the ropes around Darry's wrists.

"Get help." Soda choked out looking desperately at his best friend.

Steve felt the knot of dread in his stomach as he watched the scene play out in front of him.

"Get help!" Soda screamed sending Steve exploding out of the door and into the hands of waiting law enforcement.

--

"Where do you think you're going, son?" The officer grabbed Steve forcing up against the side of the building.

"Steve!" Ponyboy saw the boy rush out of the store and started running towards the door after escaping from the man holding him on the ground.

Steve cringed as the side of his face slammed into the splintery wood structure of the building. He gritted his teeth as another officer began firing questions at him.

"No, let'em go, Steve!" Ponyboy shouted as someone caught him around the waist and started to pull him backwards.

"You have to get in there." Steve shouted pleadingly as metal manacles were clamped around his wrists which were being held behind him. "Please, someone's been shot…"

Ponyboy couldn't hear anything that was being said between Steve and the officers. All he could do was struggle with the and around his waist and watch. He watched in desperation for something, anything to happen.

_Where were his brothers?_

--

Johnny, Two-Bit and Dallas nearly went to pieces as they watched the scene unfold before them. The struggle wasn't with Dallas as the shots were fired; it was Two-Bit coming unglued knowing his friends Steve, Sodapop and Darrel were in the station. He struggled and fought against Dallas's iron grip around his chest and waist as he watched Ponyboy being shoved to the ground by the large officer trying to protect him from a stray bullet. He shouted wildly as the other onlookers panicked as well.

It was when Steve exploded out the front door that Dallas finally let him go. The three boys all decided to jump the barricade and run towards the building. They were gonna help their friends. They no sooner cleared the blockade and found themselves being held up by additional officers who had showed up on the scene. These men were not going to let them past, and the boys weren't gonna be stopped.

"Do you know that kid?" The officer holding Ponyboy back shouted at the teen.

"That's Steve." Ponyboy shouted clawing at the man's wrist and securing his freedom.

"Wait, you can't go…" The officer shouted as Ponyboy broke free of the officer's grasp. He was followed by Johnny, Dallas, and Two-Bit who had easily shot past the other officers and ran the rest of the way towards the building.

"Steve!" Ponyboy shouted as police officers started to run into the building.

Steve tried to turn to see who was shouting at him only to be pushed aggressively back against the wall.

"Let me go, you gotta help Darry!" Steve shouted wildly.

Ponyboy stopped in his tracks as he watched a cop emerge from the building. The man was shouting orders and pointing his fingers. It was like slow motion as the scene unfurled. The officers holding Steve began to unlock the metal cuffs around his wrists. Steve wriggled free and tried to go back into the building. He was stopped by a cop and taken in the direction of a second waiting ambulance. Another medical crew began to rush towards the building. Sodapop slowly emerged in the doorway. He nearly collapsed on the way out. He was being half carried out of the building by an officer. His head was trickling blood and he was covered head to toe in even more blood. His grimy work shirt was ripped across the front as if he had been in a fight. There were soon two other men being led from the building. They looked like they had been beaten up as well. They had their wrists chained behind their backs. These must have been the culprits. Ponyboy furrowed his brow to him they looked like Soc's. _What would a Soc need to rob a gas station for?_

He continued to watch. Something was wrong. W_here was Darry?_

"Kid!" Dallas grabbed Ponyboy by the arm and dragged him out of the path of the ambulance as it pulled up. The medical personnel jumped out and then pulled a gurney out of the back end of the vehicle and pushed it into the building.

"Let me go!" Pony shouted as he pulled his arm free of Dallas's vice like grip.

Pony pushed and shoved through the officers and medical personnel in front of him to get to Sodapop. Soda sat holding his head in his hand as a medic sat next to him dabbing his forehead with a gauze strip. Pony fell on his knees on the other side of him.

"Pony…" Soda sighed breathlessly running his bloody hand across Ponyboy's face. He then wrapped his arm the rest of the way around his neck pulling his younger brother into his tight embrace.

Ponyboy felt as if he would cry. He almost couldn't breathe as he fell into his brother. He was just relieved that they were alright. Everything was alright now.

"You're alive." Pony sobbed feeling tears sting his eyes and then begin streaming down his face.

"Yeah, kiddo, I'm alive. It's gonna be alright." Soda whispered pulling his brother tighter towards him.

Pony soon pulled away and sat up slowly. He and looked down at Sodapop who had an anxious expression on his face. Pony felt nervous as Soda looked around uneasily. He hadn't seen his older brother yet. Maybe Darry hadn't been there after all.

"Soda, where's Darry?"

The words had no sooner left Pony's lips when the officers began to clear people out of the way. A gurney was being wheeled out of the station office. Ponyboy felt as if he had been kicked in the chest. The person on the cot was pallid, sweaty, and dirty. There was blood all over the sheet covering his lower body. His black t-shirt had been cut in half while still on his person. The tattered edges hung in two pieces on either side of the wheeled cot. The color left his face as he watched in horror as the medics shoved the gurney into the back of the ambulance and with brilliant red lights flashing and sirens blaring darted from the parking lot. Darry had been shot.

**Review Me:-)**


	5. Chapter 5

**please read and review. **

**Thanks again for all of the messages and reviews. I have been a bit busy, so I havent gotten a chance to respond to your reviews, but I will soon... I promise:-) I figured you would rather have a chapter than a Thank you, I would:-) **

**Later!**

**Chapter 5**

Ponyboy sat next to Sodapop the whole way to the hospital. His stomach burned as he wondered how his eldest brother was. He thought about the comment from the medic who told him that his older brother "looked good to him." He might have a splitting headache in the morning, but he looked good. They couldn't tell him anything about Darrel. He looked at Soda who looked drained. Ponyboy uncomfortably noted the dark ring as it became even more profound around his eye below where the still weeping cut was starting to soak through the bandages. Soda's eyes were closed and he looked a bit more relaxed than he had when he had initially walked, or was more or less carried, out of the building. He watched Soda take a deep breath before he let it back out. Whoever had hit him had done a good bit of damage. Pony felt that knot in his stomach rising to his throat as he wondered about the two boys being led out of the DX Station. They had looked so young. They were older than he was; they looked like they could have been Darry's age or not much older than Soda. Darry was only six years older than Pony, despite the age difference and the amount of responsibility Darry had, twenty wasn't that old.

Ponyboy nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt a cold hand on his own.

"You okay, Pony?" Soda murmured blinking his bloodshot eyes opened.

Pony let his eyes wonder over the white gauze and bandages on his brothers forehead. He looked at the split in corner of Soda's lip and the discoloration forming along the split and his strong jaw line. He gritted his teeth as he nodded his head.

"I'm fine." Ponyboy stated nervously.

"You look nervous." Soda's voice cracked.

"I'll be alright. How do you feel?" The youngest boy asked.

"Like I just got hit in the head with a baseball bat. To tell you the truth Pony, I _ I just feel like I could be sick." Soda's handsome face and sensitive eyes caught Ponyboy's glinting in the light from the back of the ambulance.

"You need a bag?" The man sitting in the back of the vehicle asked as he looked up from his paperwork.

Soda held his free hand protectively over his stomach. He was starting to curl up on his side in a fetal position. He held his head in his other hand. The color was starting to drain from his face.

"Soda?" Ponyboy's bottom jaw quivered as a bolt of fear went through him.

"I _ I don't _ don't feel so good, Pony." Soda stammered while his other hand went from his head and directly to his stomach.

Ponyboy looked towards the man in the back of the ambulance with him. He was completely terrified as he watched his brother. The medic slid forward on the seat and inadvertently pushed Ponyboy out of the way. He handed Soda a thick cardboard bag and helped him to get his head in the right direction as Soda began to bring the contents of his stomach up. The only problem was that Soda had eaten lunch early in the day, and now his stomach was nearly empty. Ponyboy sat uneasily behind Soda's head and closed his eyes, turning his face down towards the floor.

"He'll be alright, buddy." The medic looked up at Ponyboy who turned his head back to the man who smiled slightly. "This is fairly common with head injuries. Your brother's gonna be fine."

Ponyboy nodded his head as he lowered his head again looking at the floor. He listened to the man talking gently to Soda. The man didn't seem to care that Soda wasn't a Soc; he just talked to him like he was a normal kid. He talked to him like a father talking to his own son. His words were soothing as Soda's whole body wretched while trying to bring nothing up from his stomach.

"We're almost there, kid. Just hang on a bit longer, okay. That's it… shhhh… just relax."

Ponyboy wondered if that man had a wife and kids at home. He seemed so natural at this. It seemed so effortless for him to deal with the sounds, and smells of a vomiting teenager. He wondered if his father had been like that too. It seemed like a lifetime ago that his father had been there with the three of them. His heart sank as he struggled to remember the sound of his father's voice. He was comforted at the same time as he imagined he probably sounded something like the man kneeling next to Soda, rubbing his head gently with his free hand.

It hurt too much to think about.

--

Ponyboy took a long drag on his cigarette as he sat in the waiting room at the hospital. He rested his head against the wall as he stared up at the ceiling. He could hear Dallas and Two-Bit as they flipped through the Life magazine nearest to them. The comments he kept hearing had to do with the color of a car on one particular page and the length of the skirt on the woman in the same picture. Johnny sat next to Ponyboy his fists jammed tensely in his jacket pockets. He seemed a bit uneasy as they continued to wait for any news on the two brothers.

"Need a drag, Johnny?" Pony pushed the cigarette in the direction of his best friend.

"Yeah." Johnny nearly whispered as he took the cancer stick from his friend.

Johnny was so quiet, so much quieter than even he was. He always acted so scared. Johnny went through torment that Ponyboy couldn't imagine everyday. His mother treated him like a plague visited on her, and his father. If that man wasn't yelling at him, he was slugging him. Johnny was his best friend.

"Ponyboy Curtis." The gentle voice of the nurse cut the air to the waiting area.

Ponyboy jumped to his feet. He nearly ran to the woman in hopes of hearing something positive. Directly on his heals were Johnny followed by Two-Bit and Dallas.

"I'm sorry, young men; I need to see Mr. Curtis alone. You may wait for him out here." The flaxen haired nurse stated with a raised eyebrow.

The boys quickly recoiled. Ponyboy could hear Dallas sigh very loudly as he turned his head. He was at a loss; he would have rather had them all with him.

"Listen woman…" Dallas turned his head back and lifted his finger pointing it at the young woman who didn't even show the slightest sign of backing down.

"So, you know, you're awfully pretty…" Two-Bit smiled and cocked an eyebrow stepping between Dallas and the nurse.

She was pretty. She looked like she was fairly young also. Pony was sure she was at least twenty-one or twenty-two. Much too old for Two-Bit, but he also knew that age was no issue with Two-Bit Mathews. He was pretty sure that the joker wasn't really interested in a date. He was merely trying to defuse the situation before it exploded.

"You're too young." The nurse smirked not missing a beat. "Follow me, young man." She turned and brushed past Johnny who stood anxiously with his fists now jammed in his jeans pocket.

"I'll be back." Ponyboy acknowledged turning away from the boys and heading back towards the room he was in.

"See ya." Johnny murmured.

"I think she digs me…"

Pony shook his head as he heard Two-Bit start in on Dallas and Johnny.

--

The trip through the hospital was unnerving for Ponyboy. He passed curtained off room after curtained off room. He could hear coughing, snoring, moaning, and talking. It made him edgy to see the older people staring back at him with their blank stares. They didn't have the money to afford a nice private room. If you didn't have money, you got stuck in the large room with everyone else; your only stitch of privacy was the limp, worn out curtain that hung from the ceiling.

"Your brother, Sodapop…" the nurse flipped the chart open and looked at the name on it as she began. "He has a concussion and some stitches in his forehead. He'll be staying the night for observation. The doctor will be in momentari…"

"Ma'am, what about Darry?" Ponyboy interrupted her.

"The doctor will be in here in just a moment to talk to both of you." She nodded pushing him through the curtains into the room.

--

Sodapop had his eyes closed. His head was now bandaged up nicer and his eye was puffier still. He looked peaceful lying in the bed. The lights were dimmed. He wore a hospital gown that seemed to swallow him whole. A greenish yellow pan sat next to his bed along with a cup for water of the same color. In his arm was a tube connected to a glass bottle which dripped some sort of fluid. The liquid was flowing into Soda's arm making Ponyboy cringe. Needles always made his skin crawl. Ponyboy felt uncomfortable even waking him up to let him know he was there.

Pony let his eyes dart around for something to sit on. There was a stool next to the bed. It had clothes on it, though. They were grungy, covered in oil and dirt. Pony knew without question that they belonged to Sodapop. He walked over to the bed slowly just waiting like a bump for something to happen. He didn't have to wait long, as soon as he neared the bed the shuffling of his feet must have given away to Soda that he was not alone.

"Pony…" Soda sighed opening his only useable.

"Hey, Soda. You feelin okay?" He asked leaning on the table next to the bed.

"I'll be fine, kiddo." Soda lied.

Ponyboy could tell by the tone in his voice, and the expression on his face, he was still feeling pretty bad. He knew that his brothers tried to shield him from some things, but he was more aware than he let on.

"Have they told you how Darry is?" Soda asked reaching up and touching his hand to his badly swollen eye.

"No. Doc says he wants to talk to both of us." Ponyboy stated rubbing his neck nervously still looking around the room. "You don't think Darry's gonna die, do you?"

"Come sit down, Pony." Soda patted the bed and sliding over. "You look tired."

Ponyboy was beyond tired. He could feel the sleep as it moved in on him. He was exhausted. It had been a long day and an even longer evening. He was sure that his eyes were more bloodshot than Soda's were.

Sodapop sat up painfully and pushed his arms out to his brother motioning for him. He waited until Pony sat down and he wrapped his arms around the younger kid. Ponyboy took a breath as Soda just held him tightly. He just wanted to cry. The stress of the day was compounding his sudden realization that if something happened to Darry that he was going to be alone in a boy's home. Sure, he would have Soda for a little bit, but it wouldn't be long before he would have nobody.

"It'll all be okay, kiddo, just watch and see." Soda whispered stroking his hair.

He had to admit, he almost believed him.


	6. Chapter 6

**I had to work a while on this chapter, I wanted it to be perfect because of the emotion behind it... sorry it took so long.**

******Please, Read and Reveiw! **

**Chapter 6**

"Darrel is resting right now." Doctor Evans stated softly as he let his eyes wonder over his clipboard.

Ponyboy blinked away the bothersome sleep in his eyes as he looked at the doctor. The man was explaining the condition of his older brother to himself and Sodapop. Soda flinched at the blinding light hitting his eyes from over the doctor's shoulders.

"The bullet passed through his abdominal muscles and missed his stomach. It did, however, knick his hip bone. Because of this, he will have some discomfort getting around for a short time. When the bullet hit his hip it bounced off of the bone and it looks as if it turned around, tearing an exit hole just shy of the point of entry. He has a four inch hole in his side where the bullet tore through the skin exiting his body. We stitched him up, so there are some stitches that will need to be cared for properly. We did have to remove some infection. He'll need to take some time off of work for at least a month, perhaps longer." Doctor Evans pulled his black ink pen from the pocket of his white lab coat.

Doctor Evans was at least fifty, possibly older. His grey hair was feathered over a balding spot on his shiny forehead. He was a tall man with a round belly. He reminded Ponyboy of what his grandfather would have been like. He had a gentle expression on his firm face. He had sea green eyes surrounded by black horn rimmed glasses and a deep cleft in his protruding chin. The man rubbed his forehead with his fingertips as he folded the top back over the front of his clipboard and looked down at Sodapop.

"How are you feeling, young man?" He asked raising his eyebrow.

"Tired." Soda croaked flinching as the doctor pulled a small light from his pocket and showed it brightly in Soda's one open eye.

"Do you have a headache?" The doctor asked in a deep voice finishing up with the light and writing on his clipboard.

"Yes, sir." Soda leaned back against his pillow covering his eyes with his right hand.

Ponyboy's stomach knotted up again as he looked at the red abrasions on his brothers wrists. The ropes had almost burned the surface of his skin where he had fought with them.

"Well, Sodapop, you'll be fine, young man. I think you should say goodnight to your brother here, and get some rest. I'll send the nurse in with something to help with your headache." Doctor Evans pushed his glasses back onto his face as he began to write something on Soda's chart before inserting it back into the slot at the end of his bed.

"I _ I guess that means I gotta go." Ponyboy stated softly wringing his fingers.

Soda rapidly got a nervous expression on his face. Ponyboy had through a lot that day and now he was going to have to go home alone. It made him nervous to think about the kid sitting at home all by himself after hearing all that he had about Darry. He worried about him having nightmares again and nobody being there to calm him down.

"Pony, where are you gonna stay? I mean, Darry's here and…"

"I'll be fine, Soda. I'll probably just go home and Johnny and Dally'll stay with me."

"Pony, I…"

"I'm fourteen Soda, not four. I'll be fine." Ponyboy defended himself as his brother grabbed his sleeve.

"You sure? Maybe I could talk to the nurse…"

"Soda!" Ponyboy interrupted him again. "Get some sleep; I'll see ya in the morning." Ponyboy leaned into his brother's chest to give him a hug.

He could feel Soda breathing in and out as he felt his arms squeeze him tighter and tighter.

"Okay, be careful." Soda whispered hesitantly.

"Night, Soda." Ponyboy walked away slowly and disappeared behind the curtain.

Soda watched his little brother as he vanished around the drape. He looked up at the ceiling. He watched as the holes in the ceiling tiles until they started to run together. Finally, he closed his eyes a few minutes after his brother was gone. He wanted to follow the kid home. He wanted to be there to check up on him. As difficult as it was, it was now time to let Ponyboy have some responsibility. His exhaustion, however, wasn't going to let him be an older brother.

--

"Can I see Darry?" Ponyboy asked the doctor as he caught up with him in the now quiet corridor.

"Son, your brother has just come out of an emergency surgery. He's not up to seeing anyone. He's not even awake." Doctor Evans explained calmly while examining the next patients chart.

Ponyboy must have looked like a kicked puppy as the doctor glanced back at him. The man let out a very loud sigh as he stopped in his tracks and turned around. He looked down his at nose at the shabbily dressed, greasy looking kid in front of him. He was quite young and a little on the skinny side. He didn't look like the everyday run of the mill hoodlum he had stitched up more than once in the emergency room. He just looked like an underprivileged kid, struggling to make it in a hard world. The kid was very polite and made him think of his own grandson.

"You're too young to be out this late, where's your mom and dad, kid?" Doctor Evans asked softly.

Ponyboy blinked and looked down at the holes in the tops of his sneakers. He could see the material from his socks as they pushed at the thread bear toes. He was due for a new pair, but money had been tight when Darry had to make some unplanned repairs to the old pick up truck. He was just going to wear the pair he had until winter, or Darry got finished with the job he was on.

"They died in an accident a while back. Darry and Soda are all I have." Ponyboy blurted out nervously.

It wasn't a huge secrete. Anyone could have found out anything about his family if they wanted to. Ponyboy didn't talk about the death of his parents with just anyone. He didn't make it highly publicized information that he was being raised by his football star older brother, and high school drop out older brother.

The doctor looked at his clipboard. He then continued his scrutiny of the teenager in front of him. His stare made Ponyboy nervous as he waited for an answer.

"Come on, kid." The doctor changed directions and motioned for Ponyboy to follow him.

--

"Keep it quiet. He needs to rest." Doctor Evans instructed Ponyboy pointing to the room with two beds in it.

Ponyboy stood for a moment in the doorway. He was almost afraid of what he would see. He knew that Darry was shot in the stomach, but what if something else had happened. He turned and looked back at the doctor.

"Go on, boy." Doctor Evans pushed him through the door before taking a step back.

Ponyboy held his breath as he ambled slowly into the room. He could smell the antiseptic scent as it wavered in the air. Timidly, he glanced to the side. The only other bed in the room was unoccupied at the time. He could feel himself breathing a nervous sigh of relief as he was past his first hurdle. It was the next bed now that had him anxious. He could hear the monitors beeping and pinging as he walked into the room. He let his fingers fumble along the edges of the curtains as he turned. He ran his eyes along the white linens up the length of his brother's inactive form.

Darry was sleeping. He looked so pale. His head lulled to the right as Pony rounded the corner and stopped cautiously at the foot of the bed. He heard Darry as he mumbled something unintelligible. Pony lingered at the end of the bed before taking another step forward. He took a deep breath as he waited for a moment. He looked around cautiously and noted that he was alone in the room with his brother. He wasn't sure why he was so nervous all of the sudden, but he was. He was scared as he watched his slumbering older brother. Pony felt himself shrinking inside as he observed the perspiration flowing from Darry's forehead. His brother let out the softest moan as he shifted uncomfortably under the covers. Pony assumed that Darry must have been dreaming.

Pony looked down at Darrel's hands. His wrists also bore the marks of rope burns. He noted the blood and dirt underneath his fingernails and around his cuticles. His normally tidily kept hair was falling messily over his slick forehead. Ponyboy slowly reached out and touched his older brother's hand. It was warm beneath his fingers. Ever so slowly he wrapped his digits around the palm of his brother's massive hand and gently picked it up holding it tightly in his own. He firmly squeezed the young mans hand as he looked across his glistening visage.

"Darry," Pony whispered tenderly. "Darry, you have to be alright. You, just have to be." Ponyboy's voice cracked. He could feel the tears burning as they pricked at the back of his eyes.

They came without warning. The tears flowed freely down his cheeks as he lifted Darry's hand to his face. He could feel the warmth of his lightly scathed knuckles against his own countenance. Normally theses hands were hard as steal, but now, they were weaker than a day old kitten.

"Please be okay, Darry." He choked. His shoulders shook under the strain of tension of the days events. Silent sobs manifested as he completely let his emotions take over. "Please…"


	7. Chapter 7

**Again thank you all so much for all of your comments and reviews! You are my driving force. Please keep the comments and critiques and reviews coming, they are so helpful and they mean so much! --Firebunee**

**Chapter 7**

Ponyboy sauntered slowly back towards the waiting room. He noted the three teens napping in the corner. Johnny was leaning on Dallas who in turn was leaning against the wall beside him. Two-bit was stretched out along the row of multi-colored plastic chairs, snoring quietly. Ponyboy looked up at the clock. It was now four thirty in the morning. It was extremely late. To him it was almost comical to see the normally tough brood sleeping so soundly there. He took a deep breath as he walked into the virtually deserted waiting room. He looked to his right and noted the metal ash tray full of cigarette butts.

_They must have smoked a pack a piece waiting on me._Ponyboy thought to himself.

He felt horrible about keeping them there, waiting on him for so long. At the same time he was encouraged because they were still there waiting on him at that late hour. He was sincerely impressed that Dallas hadn't left to look for a fight, a woman, or a beer. He knew that Johnny would have stayed there until he had come back, regardless of the other two. He was his best friend, and his brothers had always looked out for him. Then there was Two-Bit. He too had also stuck around to hear that the two older Curtis brothers were okay. Ponyboy wondered if the blond haired nurse had ever come back through to talk to the jovial character, or if she had merely put him in his place and left.

Ponyboy walked quietly towards the sleeping trio and to his relief Dallas opened his eyes before he had to wake him.

"Hey, kid." Dallas lifted his head as he started to sit up which in turn awoke Johnny.

"Hey, Pone, how's Soda and Darry." He asked reaching his arms high up into the air, yawning and then scratching his head.

The sudden noise in turn woke up the sleeping prankster of the bunch. Two-Bit sat up slowly rubbing his eyes with his fists.

"Ponyboy…" he was stretching trying to come back to life.

"Soda's got a concussion and Darry had to have emergency surgery. They'll be fine." Ponyboy suddenly realized how drained he was.

"They comin home tonight?" Two-bit asked slowly.

Ponyboy shook his head. He looked down at the floor rubbing the back of his neck. He was so tired of being in a hospital. He just wanted to go home. He wanted to curl up in his bed with Soda, only Soda wasn't going to be there. Going home meant that he was going home to an empty house.

"I called Steve." Two-Bit yawned as he spoke. "He has ten stitches in his arm where he sliced himself with his own blade."

It was reassuring that Steve was alright. He was glad that one of them had not had to stay the night in a hospital. By this point, the only thing Ponyboy could think about was his empty bed. He wanted to thank Two-Bit for the update on Steve but the filter between his brain and his mouth quite working at that moment.

"I wanna go home." He spilled.

Dallas looked at the kid with his normally cold, hard eyes. They were now red, bloodshot from hours of waiting at a hospital and sleeping in a waiting room. He swallowed and then nodded his head. He seemed to understand how Ponyboy was feeling right then. He looked over at the two still trying to awaken and then looked back at the teenager in front of him.

"Come on, kid, I'll take ya." He stood up stretching his arms over his head.

"Why don't I stay with you tonight, keep ya outa trouble." Two-Bit winked as he pulled his leather jacket on.

"If ya want." Ponyboy nodded his head. "You wanna stay, too?" Ponyboy asked Johnny who was still rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Sure." Johnny answered quietly. "Wasn't goin home anyhow."

"Alright, let's blow this joint." Dallas hitched his thumbs into the pockets of his denim jeans and walked towards the exit.

The three quickly followed him out of the sanatorium.

--

It was just before ten o'clock in the morning when Ponyboy finally rolled out of bed. It wasn't normal for him to sleep in so late. Darrel would have gotten him and Soda out of bed much earlier to get the day started. It was Saturday, but there were still chores to be done, and Soda normally had to work on Saturdays. He was exhausted. Every muscle in his body ached from the tense evening. He didn't remember climbing into bed and he was still wearing his jeans and t-shirt.

_What a night._

Ponyboy sauntered ever so slowly out of his room. He was still pretty groggy. The memories of the previous night seemed hover in his mind like a bad dream. The television was blaring where Two-Bit sat in front of the tube watching Howdy Doody. Ponyboy shook his head as he watched him drinking a beer before the sun had come close to reaching the center of the sky. He scratched his head as he wondered where he had found it. Maybe he didn't want to know.

"Good morning, kid!"

It was going on ten o'clock and Two-Bit was wide awake, and chipper. Ponyboy didn't appreciate the greeting, he felt like the walking dead. Pony looked over at the sleeping form on the couch. Johnny was still completely gone. He was covered up under his own tattered denim jacket and Two-Bit's leather jacket. Ponyboy figured it had been a few days since the last time Johnny had gotten any real sleep. He was certain that nobody could rest in the Cade household with the constant bickering between his parents.

"Morning." Ponyboy growled as he turned the corner and walked towards the bathroom. A comb, cold water, and perhaps a shower, that might make him feel a more human.

--

Johnny stirred to life as a car door opened and closed. Dallas Winston walked up the path to the Curtis house taking one more long drag on his cigarette before discarding it in the grass. He looked to the right as the wind blew a little harder through the trees bringing down the first of the red oak leaves. Fall was letting them know it was coming to Tulsa.

"Hey Dally." Johnny stated as Dallas rubbed his head with his bare knuckles.

"Is Pony up yet?" Dallas asked.

"Yeah, I'm up." Ponyboy stated walking into the living room from the kitchen carrying the milk carton. Darry would have had him by the scruff of the neck for drinking out of the container. It really never stopped him, but when Darry was around it did slow him down some.

Dallas looked at him. His eyes were icy, his jaw twitched slightly as he nodded his head at him. Dallas scared Ponyboy a bit when he had that look in his eyes. The wild, uncontrollable look of an out of control animal that was cornered and very angry. He licked his lips as he took a deep breath.

"Those boys who shot Darry..." he began slowly. "They were Soc's."

"Soc's, what would a Soc need to rob the DX station for?" Two-Bit asked slowly raising his right eyebrow.

Ponyboy continued to watch Dally as he filled them in on the information he had.

"Seem's the one that did the shooting, Andrew Fielder, is the son of the Chief of Police Douglas Fielder. Chadwick Michael Phillips is the son of the Mayor. Both of them have been released into the custody of their parents." Dallas concluded.

Ponyboy looked up at Dallas licking the milk from his lips.

"Darry played football with Chad Phillips and Andy Fielder." He shook his head. "Why would they rob the DX station? They both had college scholarships and their parents have money."

"Charges are pending, Ponyboy. It seems they had nothing better to do yesterday." Dallas finished.

Ponyboy sat down on the arm of the couch as he watched Dallas pace back and forth in the living room. He was puzzled by the idea that a Soc would rob the DX station for no reason other than they wanted something to do. But, nothing the Soc's did ever seem to make sense to him. He was curious as to how Dallas had come by this information. Before he had a chance to ask, Two-Bit interjected.

"How'd you find this out, Dall?" Two-Bit asked tugging at the waistband of his jeans as he stood up.

"Buck has a friend downtown, and besides, I know a few of'em down there, too." Dallas pulled a pack of cigarettes from his jacket pocket and pushed one between his lips.

"Soc's…" Ponyboy shook his head.

"Man…" Johnny shook his head and looked the floor.

The phone rang bringing Ponyboy to his feet. Two-Bit was standing next to the phone and reached over plucking it off of the cradle.

"Hello." He stated into the receiver scratching his forehead. "Sure, he's right here."

Two-Bit pointed the phone in the direction of Ponyboy.

"It's the hospital, they wanna talk to you." He confirmed.

Ponyboy felt his stomach knot up again. He felt sick as he handed the milk carton to Johnny and walked over towards the phone. Fear danced within his stomach as he imagined the voice on the other end telling him that Darry had passed away in his sleep and Soda had slipped into a coma. The thought made goose bumps rippled across the surface of his arms as a chill went up his spine.

"Hello." Pony stated slowly, his voice shaking slightly.

"Ponyboy Curtis?" The smooth woman's voice asked.

"Yeah, th-this is Ponyboy Curtis." He answered hesitantly.

"Ponyboy, your brother Sodapop will be ready to be picked up today. Please pick him up before noon or make arrangements to have him picked up before then." She sounded like she was reading a script over the phone.

"Okay, thank you." Pony answered, a wave of relief washed over him.

"You're welcome." She concluded.

The conversation ended with a click from the other end and then a dial tone.

Ponyboy put the phone back down on the cradle and looked over at Dallas.

"Soda needs picked up from the hospital by noon." Ponyboy stated.

"Well, what are we standing around here for?" Dallas asked sarcastically walking out the door.

Ponyboy looked over at Johnny who was starting to stand up.

"I'll stay here." Two-Bit informed Ponyboy. "There won't be much room in the car on the way back." He dropped down into the arm chair in front of the television. He made himself comfortable by kicking his feet up onto the coffee table and lifting the brown glass bottle to his lips again.

"Thanks, Two-Bit." Ponyboy shook his head and couldn't contain the smile on his face as he watched Two-Bit wave goodbye while his eyes were still glued to the magical box.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hope you can forgive me for being very busy with real life! Enjoy, and I will get another up soon:-) Please review!!!**

**Chapter 8**

Ponyboy waited for the doctor to sign the release papers for Sodapop while they waited in the hallway. He watched his brother in nervous anticipation as if waiting for something to happen to him. He was still holding his head. There was a little trace of blood on the surface of the bandage that was sitting on his forehead. He wondered to himself what he was thinking. He wondered if he was worried about Darry. Of course Soda was worried about Darry, he was worried about Darry too.

"You okay, Soda?" Ponyboy asked softly.

Soda looked up slowly. His eyes were rimmed in red. He had a smile on his face. It was a reassuring smile. He looked as if he was thinking about what it would take to put his little brothers mind at ease.

"Yeah, Pony, I'm just kinda tired. They didn't let me sleep much last night." Soda rubbed the back of his neck. His face was pallid and he had dark rings under his eyes as he offered a forced smile to his little brother. "I'll be alright, Pony." He said softly.

Ponyboy nodded slightly and looked back down at the floor where he continued to scuff his shoes across the waxed, cool white surface. He was somewhat relieved at the fact that Soda was gonna be home, but he was still extremely anxious about Darry. He wanted to see his older brother before they left with Soda. He knew that Soda needed to get home to rest, but he just wanted to check on his brother.

"Sodapop Curtis?" The young woman dressed in white walked out from around the desk carrying a folder in her right hand.

Soda looked up from his blank stare down with the floor.

"Yeah." He responded rising stiffly.

"Here are your discharge papers, a prescription, and the doctor would like for you to follow up with your family doctor within the week."

Sodapop nodded his head.

"Thank you." Soda whispered taking the folder.

Sodapop looked over at Ponyboy.

"Let's go check on Darry, Pony." He patted his younger brother on the shoulder.

Ponyboy nodded his head as Dallas and Johnny both rose to their feet to follow. They neither one wanted to be at the hospital, but they were each others only family, and family was the only thing that mattered at that moment.

--

All four teens stood outside of the room. The doctor on duty looked the boys over carefully. He appeared to be scrutinizing them over the top of his wire framed glasses. They were a rough bunch, but they were harmless, at least three of them were.

"You're family?" He asked sternly.

"My name's Sodapop Curtis, this is my younger brother Ponyboy Curtis." Soda confirmed nervously.

"And those two?" He asked throwing his glance towards Dallas and Johnny. Dallas was being uncharacteristically quiet.

"Uh, these are our, uh, cousins." Soda responded wide eyed glancing at Ponyboy who looked back and gave a slight confirming nod.

The doctor narrowed his stare and rubbed his freshly scraped chin. He looked at the four standing in the hallway. His gaze was almost like a pin pricking at their souls. He took a deep breath before nodding slowly.

"Immediate family only, you other two will have to wait in there." He responded abruptly and then pointed towards the waiting room.

Sodapop and Ponyboy both looked back at Dallas and Johnny. Johnny stared wide eyed back at Sodapop. He appeared somewhat relieved when he turned his attention towards Ponyboy before tucking his hands in his pockets. Dallas nodded his head without even a hint of sarcasm.

"We'll be in here if you need us." Dallas responded turning and then strutting back towards the waiting area behind Johnny.

"Thanks, Dal." Soda replied quietly turning to look back at Ponyboy.

--

"Well boys, your brother is going to be fine." The doctor stated shoving his hands into his pockets as they walked into the room. "He woke up twice during the night. We were actually going to wake him again. Perhaps it is a good thing that you two came by when you did."

Ponyboy listened to the doctor. He was a different man than the one from the previous night. He was a lot crisper while talking to them. Doctor Evans seemed like a person, not a robot. This doctor, Doctor Wallace seemed to be colder and somewhat chattier. He was about the same age as Doctor Evans, only this man was more clinical. He didn't act like a grandfather, or even an estranged uncle. He was like a stranger that didn't seem to care one way or another about the person. His hair was only slightly grey around the edges and was combed lightly over a balding spot on the front of his forehead head. He was tall and thin.

Doctor Wallace led them into the room accompanied by a nurse. Ponyboy cringed as he looked at his older brother. He seemed to be sleeping better than he was the previous night. His sheets were still damp with perspiration. His gown was soaked around his collar and down the front in almost a perfect "V". His face had some more color to it today, but he still looked so small and helpless in the bed in front of them. Darry was the protective older brother. He was the football player who took care of his athletic body and made sacrifices for his family. He was still so slight as he lie still, slumbering in the bed.

"You ready?" The doctor asked raising a questioning eyebrow.

Sodapop rubbed his fingers across the bruise on his forehead as he slowly let out a breath. He looked nervously over at Ponyboy. The youth stood at the end of his brother's bed watching intently. He could feel the sweat slipping down his back as his hands and knees shook. His eyes were wide and almost looked as if they could pop out of his head. His breath was coming swiftly. He swallowed hard as he began to wring his fingers in the stiff white sheets next to his fingers. Ponyboy nodded his head slightly looking back at Soda who acknowledged the doctor.

"Alright, nurse."

--

Darry had been dreaming, hadn't he? He felt the burning in his side and the pain in his abdomen and hip. His head was swimming as he tried to open his eyes. He could feel people around him. It frightened him a little that he knew there were people with him. _Did they have guns too? Were they gonna hurt Soda and Steve again?_ His breath hitched in his chest as he heard voices all around him. He tried to open his eyes but they didn't want to cooperate. He was so exhausted. He felt funny. He struggled to slit his eyes open slightly. He couldn't make out the blurry figures standing over him. His head began to throb and he felt sick as he closed his eyes again. He groaned slightly as he let his head roll to the right.

"Darrel…" the woman's voice was distant as it crept into his ears.

_Was there a woman in the DX station?_

"Darrel, can you hear me?" She asked again.

Darry moaned slightly as he struggled with what was going on in his head and in the world around him. He struggled to open his eyes again and then closed them slowly. He could feel the pain in his side was growing more intense. Had the shot to his gut been a reality, or a dream?

--

(FLASHBACK)

"_Darry!" _

_He had heard Soda's voice. It was pleading and terrified. He could hear the crack in the tone of his voice as his brother had shouted at him. He heard the explosion in his ears as he opened the door. He heard it at the same time he heard Soda scream his name. But the pain that had followed was blinding. He couldn't even concentrate. The world just spun completely out of control as he dropped to the floor and blood spilt from his side. He couldn't stop shaking as he landed with a distressing "thud". _

"_Soda _ Soda…"_

_He continued to call out softly to his brother as he clutched his side. He had to protect his brothers or they would take them from him. They were his responsibility. He had to help Soda. The blood ran through his fingers. He could feel it, ho and sticky against his skin. The pain ripped through him. He was lost in his own hurting. It was searing, burning, and intense. He couldn't make it go away. He wanted to help Soda. Soda was scared; maybe hurt and he couldn't get to him. He had to help Soda, but his body screamed each time he struggled to sit up. He couldn't find the strength to move from the cold stone floor. He was helpless and dazed. Each time he moved the pain got worse and worse. _

_He then thought of Ponyboy… who was going to protect him? _

(END FLASHBACK_)_

_--_

"Darrel, your brothers are here." Doctor Wallace stated in a detached voice.

Sodapop reached his hand out and laid it on Darry's hand. Ponyboy felt the hairs rise on the back of his neck as he watched his eldest brother shake. He was in obvious distress as he struggled to come back to reality.

"Soda's hurt…" Darry murmured in his delirium.

"Talk to him, let him know you're okay." The nurse encouraged.

Soda swallowed hard as he looked back at Ponyboy. The youngest Curtis brother looked like he was holding his breath. His face was nearly as pale as Darrel's.

"Pony, come here." Soda asked urgently, he looked as if he could read the fear in his brother's face.

Ponyboy stood stiffly in the spot he had adopted as his own. He stood there not moving until the nurse nudged him in the direction of Sodapop.

"He needs us both, Pony." Soda encouraged softly.

Ponyboy could feel the tears clouding his vision. He was ashamed of himself, but he couldn't help it. He was terrified at what he was watching. He hesitantly reached his own hand out and laid it on top of Soda's. He could feel Darry quaking under his touch. It scared him even more.

"Talk to him, boys." The doctor encouraged.

Ponyboy looked over at Doctor Wallace and then back down at Darry. He had a tear slipping down his cheek. He looked like he was frightened, hurt, and lonely. He looked afraid.

"Darry, wake up." Soda said soothingly.

Soda looked over at Ponyboy nodding his head slightly. Ponyboy felt the warm gentle hand of his older brother on his back. It was comforting and encouraging to him. It was as if he was telling him it was alright to be afraid, but he needed to try and be strong for Darry. He was telling him to just do his best and everything would be fine.

"Soda…" Darry's eyes were still closed he still sounded frightened but he was shaking less. "Ponyboy…" he whispered.

Ponyboy felt his stomach drop. His name coming across his brothers lips pushed more tears down his cheek. He began to shake even more as his brother whispered his name a second time. He felt his mouth opened like a gaping hole. The words wouldn't come. He looked over at Sodapop who nodded at him as to encourage him to talk to his brother.

"Darry, wake up, please, wake up, Darry." Pony's voice was so small.

--

Darry willed it. He wanted to open his eyes. He was so groggy, so tired, but he was going to open his eyes. He had to help Soda. He could here his brother. His words sounded so soothing and comforting to him. He wanted to get to Soda and then find Ponyboy. It was then he heard the smaller, tearful voice. It was frightened and scared. He could hear the tears in the voice as it cracked.

"_Darry, wake up, please, wake up, Darry." _

"Ponyboy…" Darry's voice cracked as his voice came a bit louder and his eyes fluttered opened.


End file.
